A New Beginning
by triplewordscore23
Summary: The past has left Ashley Davies jaded and closed off from connecting with people. Will a new start in a small Ohio town help her find the security and love she's been looking for?
1. Chapter 1

The town is peaceful-a perfect place to lay low and hide. As I stand on the sidewalk, the bus pulls away, disrupting the quiet morning with its roaring motor. The dingy exhaust fills the air and my mouth, leaving a lingering trace of smoke and oil. The town continues in its slumber. Typical rural sites fill my view- the cloned suburban homes, fields filled to capacity with corn stalks the height of a man, and the blue welcoming sign. A gas station devoid of life stands to my left, wedged between a McDonald's and a questionable motel. My eyes dart between the McDonald's and the motel, trying to decide if my need for hunger overpowers my need for sleep. The sound of a motor choking freezes me as I head toward the familiar golden arches. I swing my gaze around, checking to make sure no one is following me. _Paranoid much? As I step off the sidewalk and into the street, I hear the screeching of tires and a car honking at me, informing me I just had a near-death experience. __Wouldn't that be poetic? I finally get free only to die… I think as my heart pounds against my chest. I turn around and quickly walk away before the driver can even roll down his window. As I glance back at the car, I bump into something solid and fall to the ground. __Jesus, could anything else go wrong?_

"Sorry about that! Are you okay?" said a voice above me. My eyes squint as I look up, trying to discern the face of my assailant. Okay, so I'm a little dramatic, sue me. I ignore the hand stretched out towards me and push myself back up. "I'm fine; just watch where you're going next time." I snap as I pick up my guitar case that I had dropped. When I'm upright again, I finally get a good look at my mysterious attacker. _How the hell did she knock me down?_ _I swear I hit a tree...or an elephant. _In front of me is a teenage girl about my height, slender with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her smile drops into a frown that deepens as she takes in my appearance- jeans with torn knees, ratty hair held back in a ponytail, and a t-shirt that hasn't been washed in days. Yeah, not my best look but hey, I think I look pretty damn good for being on the road for three days. When her eyes reach mine again, I can see the questions and pity in them. The last thing I want is pity and I'm sure as hell not looking to play twenty questions. I bump her shoulder as I pass her and stride toward the motel.

"Hey, wait!" blondie calls out. I sigh and turn around – curious, I guess, to see what she wants.

"What's your name?" she asks when I'm once again facing her.

"Ashley" I answer simply before pivoting and walking quickly to the motel. As I walk into the motel office, I hear two words shouted from the sidewalk before the door swings shut behind me.

"I'm Spencer!"

After fattening the motel clerk's wallet in exchange for forgoing the usual I.D. check, which is ridiculous since I turn 18 in a few weeks, I head to my room. I throw my army duffel bag full of clothes on the small wooden table, prop my guitar case by the window, and plop myself down on the bed. I really hate motel beds-the floral comforter makes me want to puke and God knows when the last time these sheets were cleaned-but I'm too tired right now to care. _Spencer…isn't that a guy's name?_ is my last thought as I drift off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Several hours later and after a much needed shower, I decide to go explore the town. I might as well see what little this place has to offer in case I decide to stay here awhile. As I grab my room key, my stomach lets out what sounds like a growl from a broken garbage disposal. I shove some cash in my back pocket, figuring I'll stop by Mickey D's before my grand adventure. The town seems a little more awake than it was earlier, but traffic is minimal; a joke compared to driving through L.A. I cringe at my slip up. No thinking about the past. Who knows, this Podunk Ohio town could be my new beginning. I open the door of the McDonald's and close my eyes as I inhale the familiar smell of fried grease and cooking hamburger. The line at the register is pretty dismal, a perk of small towns. I order my usual, a Big Mac meal and a strawberry shake, to go. After waiting a few seconds, I take my meal and go to grab some ketchup before heading to the motel. I hear some laughter coming from the back of the restaurant as I'm squirting the condiment into those annoying cups-seriously, were those things made for ants or what? Anyway, I look up once I'm finished and see the blond chick from earlier, Spencer, with two guys and a girl. I start walking to the door, begging God or whoever is listening to keep her attention on her friends but apparently it's my day to be picked on by the Big Man upstairs. Her eyes catch mine before I'm two steps from the counter. I look away quickly but I know it's too late…

"Ashley!" she calls out. I sigh before looking back and giving a wave, trying to give her a signal that I don't have any interest in talking. Of course, she's either an idiot or she chooses to ignore it and slides out of the booth before heading my way. "Hey, how are you?" she asks. "I'm fantastic," I say in a monotone voice before continuing, "well, I don't want to keep you from your friends…I better get going." She laughs at my weirdness and tells me I'm joining them. Before I can protest, she grabs my arm and pulls me to their booth. The dark haired guy who was sitting next to Spencer stands up and grabs a chair for me to sit in...maybe chivalry isn't dead. Too bad I'm not into the Southern gentlemen type. Or men at all for that matter. Anyway, we get the introductions out of the way and they talk around me as I eat my meal. Glen, who is apparently Spencer's older brother, is intensely watching me eat. I try ignoring him at first and focus on my Big Mac until finally I can't handle it.

"Wouldn't a picture last longer?" I shoot at him. "Yeah, probably, but I don't think a picture would do justice at showing the massive amount of food you're eating. How the hell do you eat like that and look like you do?" he fires back. I shrug. "Good genes…that's why my parents paid big bucks to have me genetically engineered," I say with a straight face. "Really? Wait, doesn't that make you like half robot or something?" he replies. The table laughs at his stupidity and cluelessness. I really hope Spencer isn't as dumb as her brother. Speaking of her, she's been pretty quiet since we sat down. I turn to look at her and she quickly deflects her gaze, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. Kinda weird. If this girl didn't scream straight, I would have thought she was staring at me. I study her while she plays with her straw. _She looks pretty when she's flustered_… Aiden, aka tall, dark, and handsome with a side of polite, breaks me from this train of thought by asking where I'm from and what I'm doing in Ohio. I tell them I'm from Los Angeles and that I'm here because that's where my finger landed on the map. They laugh again, but the irony is I'm actually serious this time. We make more small talk until I finish eating. I'm surprisingly having a good time and am kind of dreading going back to my empty motel room. Luckily for me, Spencer saves me.

"Want a tour of the town? What little there is to see," she asks as I'm throwing away my garbage. "Well, I did have some plans to do a massive amount of knitting this afternoon, but I guess I can put it off for a while," I deadpan. She sends me a huge smile and asks the rest of the group if they want to join. They decline, saying something about a pick-up game of basketball at the nearby park.

"Glen and Aiden are on the high school basketball team," Spencer explains as we walk out the door, "they're always playing. It's a good thing they're both really good or they'd never make it into college."  
"Does Kyla play, too?" I ask, wondering why the short brunette tagged along. She didn't really look like she would be much help on the court. Spencer snorts at my question and tells me Kyla only goes to watch her boyfriend, aka Glen, "do his thing."

"Is Aiden your boyfriend?" I couldn't help but notice the closeness between the blonde and the dark haired boy. "Eww, no. Aiden's like a brother. He's my best friend. What about you? Did you leave a boy back in L.A.?" I openly laugh at her question. She looks at my quizzingly as she tilted her heard, waiting for an explanation. "No, I didn't leave a boy back in L.A. Why do you look so surprised?"

"Cause you're gorgeous!" she exclaims, "Um, I mean what guy wouldn't want to date you?" she stammers as she blushes. "I could say the same for you," I laugh out to ease the tension, but it just causes her blush to deepen. It's a good thing red looks great on this girl. "So no potential boyfriends even?" I ask, trying to continue the conversation.

"Nope, most of the guys in this town are jerks who are too full of themselves to see two feet in front of them." I laugh at her brutal honesty before telling her guys in L.A. are the same way. We walk in silence for a ways, but it's comfortable-not the awkward silence where you want to break the pause but aren't sure how to. It's almost so comfortable that it's…uncomfortable. I've never really been this at ease around a person so quickly. Spencer finally breaks the silence by pointing out the sights, which there aren't many of. We finish the tour of the town quickly and head over to the park. I spot Kyla on the bleachers with a group of preppy girls, you know, hair all perfect and wearing matching polos and jean skirts. I bet they're cheerleaders. I hate cheerleaders…or cheerbitches as I affectionately call them. I mean I appreciate their uniforms-most of them have kick ass bodies, which is probably the only reason I went to basketball games at my high school- but there's way too much drama there for me to try and get with their kind. Kyla looks right at home with them, chatting happily while sneaking glances at Glen and the game. As we get closer to the group, Spencer stops her running dialogue on the guys playing the game and grows quiet. She seems a bit on edge to be around the cheerleaders, which is weird because I would have guessed $100 she was one. Kyla waves us over and I glance at Spencer to see if she wants to sit with them. She's already heading up the steps, so I follow. She stops a row above the group and pulls my arm to sit down. One of the girls turns around and sends a smirk at Spencer before saying in the sickeningly, and obviously fake, sweet voice "Hi, Spencer".

"Hey, Madison," is all the blonde responds with. There's definitely a story here and I can't wait to hear it. That is, assuming Spencer wants to talk about it, but I'm pretty confident in my abilities to squeeze that juicy tale out of her. Anyway, this Madison chick turns to me and asks what my name is.

"Her name is Ashley" Spencer spits out defensively, squeezing my arm which I hadn't noticed she still had in her grasp. Madison gives her a quizzing glance at her random outburst and frowns in confusion before returning her gaze to me.

"You know, if you're gonna be here for school in the fall, we could use a girl like you on the squad. The boys always play better when they have beautiful women cheering them on. And I could always use some hotness behind me to amplify my own looks." Madison says as she sizes me up. "You could probably fit into Spencer's old uniform; you look about the same size."

"Ashley isn't into cheerleading Madison. She's too good for that shallow shit," Spencer says as she shoots daggers at Madison. Kyla laughs when Madison squirms a little under Spencer's gaze. Damn, Spencer is so hot when she's feisty! _Down Ashley, probably wouldn't be a good idea to jump your new friend in the middle of a family friendly park...or at all for that matter. _

"So what IS she into then Spencer?" I'm not sure why these two are battling for me, but it's actually pretty entertaining.

"Music. She plays a couple of instruments and can sing," Spencer replies calmly. I don't know how she knew that; I mean, we talked about our favorite bands while we were walking around but I don't remember telling her I played or sang. "Actually, she promised me earlier that she would play for me, so we're going to go. Text me later Kyla." With that, Spencer stands up and drags me away from the bleachers.

Spencer is still dragging me by my arm as we leave the park, which is hurting a bit since she's practically running. "Um, Spencer could you slow your roll a bit? You're kind of pulling my arm out of its socket" I finally asked.  
"What?" she asked as she stopped and turned around.

"My arm. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to detach it from my body."  
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" she says as she finally glances down and realizes she has a death grip on me. When she lets go, my arm has white marks from where her fingers were wrapped around. "I'm so sorry," she repeats as she rubs my arm to get the blood flowing again. I laugh it off and tell her it's fine. "Madison just drives me so crazy! Sorry I lost my head a bit back there."

I laugh again. "So what's the deal there? Why do you two hate each other's guts?" I ask, anxious to get the details.

"It's a long story," Spencer replies, but I can tell she really wants to talk about it.

"Well, luckily for you I have nothing but spare time" I say as I shoot her a smile. She sends me a small smile back, which I'm glad for because I don't like brooding Spencer. "How about we go back to my hotel room and talk? That way we won't have any of your friends interrupting us or anything," I add, hoping she doesn't think it's creepy that I just invited her to a hotel room. Apparently it doesn't because she's now wearing a full blown smile.

"That sounds great. And then you can play for me."

I forgot about that. I wonder how she knew, so I ask her.

"Oh I didn't know you sang, but I saw the guitar case when we ran into each other earlier so I figured you sang, too. I just didn't want Madison to pull you into cheerleading. Oh geez, I should have let you decided that for yourself! I'm so rude! I guess I didn't think you were the type, but I hardly know you so I shouldn't have gone speaking for you. We can go back and talk to her if you're interested in that. She would be so excited to have someone as gorgeous as you on the squad, although maybe not because I think you're prettier than her so you could steal the spotlight…" I cut Spencer's rambling off by covering her mouth with my hand.

"Listen for a second okay?" She nods and lets me continue, "I never in a million years would join cheerleading. Jumping around half naked cheering for some jocks is not my idea of a good use of time. If I wanted to do that, I would work at the strip club and make some money at least. I highly doubt I could be around those cheer bitches for me than two minutes without decking one of them. So thank you for saving me from the trouble of turning down Madison's offer." I remove my hand when I'm done and Spencer starts laughing. I'm starting to think this girl might be a bit crazy when she doesn't stop after a few seconds. Finally, she calms down enough to talk.

"Haha, cheer bitches…I'm going to have to steal that one from you," she says as she wipes tears from her eyes.  
"Psh, I've already patented it. You'll have to pay $5 for every use, so use it wisely," I say as I wink at her, which causes her to laugh again. We keep walking, with both of us randomly laughing for no reason. I think this is the beginning to a great friendship. …


	3. Chapter 3

We finally reach my hotel and head to my room. "So, story or music first?" I ask as we walk inside.

"How about both? You can play your guitar while I talk."

"Sounds good. Any requests for songs?" I ask as I open my case.

"Nope. I'm good with whatever you wanna play." Spencer says as she plops down on the bed. I like that she made herself at home. It's like she's as comfortable around me as I am around her. I pull the desk chair out and place it in front of her before sitting down and pulling my guitar strap around my body. I start tuning the guitar while Spencer watches my fingers glide across the strings. Once that's finished, I strum mindlessly, playing some notes from a song I wrote earlier in the year.

"That sounds really good. What song is it?" Spencer asks.

"Oh, it's not really song. I was just messing around." I say as I nervously pin a piece of hair behind my ear. I've played in front of people before but never my own stuff; I always play covers.  
"I liked it. Do you write your own songs?"  
"Maybe. Enough about me though, I thought we were going to talk about you. Give me all the dirty details." I say as I continue strumming. Spencer watches my fingers for a few seconds before she starts.

"Okay, just don't judge me for any of what I'm about to tell you." I nod my head to let her know I won't, but apparently that won't do. "Pinky promise?" she asks with this adorable pout.

I laugh and wrap her outstretched pinky with my own. "I pinky promise. Now quit you're stalling and get on with it."

"Well, me and Madison used to be best friends. We were inseparable all through elementary and middle school. When we got to high school, I met Aiden and pulled him into our little clique. We kind of became the cool kids or whatever. Aiden was a huge jock even as a freshman and Madison convinced me to try out for cheerleading with her so we'd all be together 24/7. We did all the typical teenage crap; parties, movies, basketball games and all that. Then last year, Aiden started paying more attention to me- texting me more and asking if I wanted to hang out with him but not asking Madison along. This really pissed Madison off because she had been trying to get with Aiden since freshman year. I told him that I didn't want to ruin our friendship or hurt Madison, but he wouldn't let it go. For some reason, he thought we were soul mates or something. Anyway, I eventually agreed to go on one date with him, just to finally get him off my back. It was just like any other time we hung out, except when he brought me home, he walked me to my front door and kissed me. I was kind of shocked, which I guess he took as a sign to continue and then he tried to suffocate me with his tongue. I think he got the idea that I wasn't into him when I pushed him into my bushes and wiped my mouth off." I burst out laughing when she said this, imagining the big jock laying rejected in the bushes. "Yeah, it's pretty hilarious now but Aiden was pissed at first. He stormed off before I could get him to talk to me. He must have drove to Madison's house right after because the next day at school she was spreading some story around that I was a prude who wouldn't even make out with a guy. I guess she was trying to push Aiden away from me and to her, which worked at first. They started dating and stopped talking to me for the most part. Eventually, Aiden apologized for that night and told me he really missed our friendship. Madison was furious when we started hanging out again and eventually gave Aiden an ultimatum: his relationship with her or his friendship with me. He told her it was a no brainer; my friendship with him was way more important and that their relationship was never anything more than a rebound. So basically, Madison hates me for 'stealing' her boyfriend and all the embarrassment it caused her. I quit cheerleading and got involved with different clubs in school. That's how our little group got started- me and Kyla met in drama club and hit it off, so we started hanging out. Then her and my brother started dating and that pretty much brings us to the present," she lets out a deep sigh as she finishes.

"Wow. I….wow. You were seriously a cheer bitch?" I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

"Shut up! You promised no judging." Aww there's that pout again! I'm not going to be able to resist teasing her if she's going to do that every time.

"I'm just kidding! I'm more shocked that you and Madison were best friends. I never would have guessed that in a million years. You're way too good for her. So how come you never felt anything for Aiden? He's obviously hot and seems a lot nicer than your average teenage boy. You two would have been one hell of a good-looking couple. "  
Spencer blushes and spits out a response "I don't know. I just never felt that spark you know? There was never any attraction there for me. I mean, yeah I guess he's hot and all but I never had the urge to jump into his arms and kiss him."  
"Aww so you're the hopeless romantic then? You're just waiting for someone to come sweep you off your feet and carry you into the sunset?" I say with a smirk.

Spencer laughs, "Maybe! No, I just…I think you know when you have chemistry with someone. Like even from the first moment you meet eyes, you feel there might be something more between you. And everything from that moment on just proves your first feeling was right. Does that make sense or do I sound completely insane?"

"No, I get what you're saying. I guess I've just never had that feeling before. I've had sexual chemistry, sure, but I don't think that's what you mean. I hope you're right though. I'd like to think that two people can actually be meant for each other."

"Me, too. So now that you got your end of the deal, can I have that song?"

I take a second to think of what to play. I decide on a Missy Higgins song. I remember Spencer saying earlier that Missy is on her top ten favorite artists which makes me like the girl that much more. Music taste is a deal breaker for me. I'm glad she has good taste or we wouldn't be able to hang out anymore. Seriously, I once punched a guy in the face because he tried to tell me rap music was better than any other genre. "Okay, but you have to try to guess what song it is. If you get it right, I'll take you out to dinner. If you lose, you have to take me out to dinner." I dare her with a wink.  
"Challenge accepted," she replies with a smirk.

I take a second to prepare and then start strumming. I play the intro and then start singing.

_He left a card and a bar of soap with_

_scrubbing brush next to a note,  
That said "use these down to your bones".  
And before I knew I had shiny skin and  
it felt easy being clean like him,  
I thought "this one knows better than I do"_

_A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle__  
__He tried to cut me so I'd fit_

_And doesn't that sound familiar?__  
__Doesn't that hit too close to home?__  
__Doesn't that make you shiver; the way things could've gone?__  
__And doesn't it feel peculiar that everyone wants a little more. _

_So that I do remember to never go that far,__  
__Could you leave me with a scar?_

_So the next one came with a bag of treats,__  
__She smelled like sugar and spoke like the sea__  
__She told me don't, trust them trust me.__  
__Then she pulled at my stitches one by one,__  
__Looked at my insides clicking her tongue,__  
__And said "This will all have to come undone"._

_A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle,__  
__She tried to blunt me so I'd fit._

_And doesn't that sound familiar?__  
__Doesn't that hit too close to home?__  
__Doesn't that make you shiver;__  
__the way things could have gone?__  
__And doesn't it feel peculiar,__  
__when everyone wants a little more?__  
__So that I do remember to never go that far,__  
__Could you leave me with a scar?_

_I think I realized just in time,__  
__although my old self was hard to find.__  
__You can bathe me in your finest wine but I'll never give you mine.__  
__'Cos I'm a little bit tired of fearing that__  
__I'll be the bad fruit nobody buys,__  
__Tell me, did you think we'd all dream the same?_

_And doesn't that sound familiar?__  
__Doesn't that hit too close to home?__  
__Doesn't that make you shiver;__  
__the way things could have gone?__  
__And doesn't it feel peculiar__  
__that everyone wants a little more?__  
__so that I do remember to never go that far,__  
__Could you leave me with a scar?__  
__Could you leave me with a scar?__  
__Could you leave me with a scar_

I finally sneak a glance at Spencer, who has been quiet the entire time I've been playing. She's sitting up on the bed now, watching me with wide baby blue eyes and her mouth hanging open.  
"What?" I ask, terrified I butchered Missy's song or something.

"That was…wow! When you said you sang I wasn't expecting that. Seriously that was just amazing!" she gushes. "Play another!" she asks with a sparkle in her eyes. Damn it, if she keeps looking at me like that I'm never going to be able to say no to her.  
"Nope. I believe you have a bet to lose," I say while trying to keep a straight face.

"It was Missy Higgins' Scar. Now you owe me dinner. And not McDonald's; you're not getting off that easy. So do you know any Tegan and Sara songs?" she adds without missing a beat. I chuckle at her before I start playing the next song. This girl is going to be the death of me I swear.

_**I don't own SON or the characters, just the plot! The song I used is called "Scar" by Missy Higgins- she's an amazing artist and you should probably check her out if you've never heard of her :) thanks for reading!**_


	4. Chapter 4

The next day I'm wandering around town, sick of my hotel room and trying to find a place to play my guitar. I've had a song running around in my head all night and morning and I want to get it down before I lose it. It's one I started back before I came to Ohio but I could never get the music or words quite right. Who would have thought Ohio could get the creative juices flowing? _Probably has more to do with a certain blonde than the small Midwest state…_I stopped myself before I thought more about Spencer. I had a really great time hanging out with her yesterday. We talked music and ended up playing "this or that" for a few hours, just getting to know each other until she had to go home for dinner. She has already broken down my walls a bit; I can't keep my tough façade up around her for some reason and it's frustrating. I realize I've walked into the middle of the park. I go to an old oak tree that's kind of far from the basketball courts and jungle gym equipment. After a few hours, I've got the song pretty much finished. I make some more changes on the sheet music and scribble a few notes in the margin, then call it a day. Before I leave, I decide to play the song through one more time. I close my eyes and strum my guitar, letting the music take me away.

_Stay with me, baby stay with me__  
__Tonight, don't leave me alone__  
__Walk with me__  
__Come and walk with me__  
__To the edge of all we've ever known__  
__I can see you there with the city lights__  
__Fourteenth floor pale blue eyes__  
__I can breathe you in__  
__Two shadows standing by the bedroom door__  
__You know I could not want you more__  
__Than I did right then__  
__As our heads leaned in___

_Well I'm not sure what this gonna to be__  
__But with my eyes clenched all I see__  
__Is the sky line through the window__  
__The moon above you and the streets below__  
__Hold my breath as you're moving in__  
__Taste your lips and feel your skin__  
__When the time comes__  
__Baby don't run, just kiss me slowly___

_Stay with me, baby stay with me__  
__Tonight, don't leave me alone (me alone)__  
__She shows me everything she used to know__  
__Picture frame and country roads__  
__When days were long, and the world was small__  
__She stood by as it fell apart__  
__Seperate rooms and broken hearts__  
__But I won't be the one to let you go__  
__Ohhhh___

_I'm not sure what this gonna to be__  
__But with my eyes clenched all I see__  
__Is the sky line through the window__  
__The moon above you and the streets below__  
__Hold my breath as you're moving in__  
__Taste your lips and feel your skin__  
__When the time comes__  
__Baby don't run, just kiss me slowly___

_Don't run away...__  
__And it's hard to love again__  
__When the only way it's been__  
__When the only love you knew__  
__Just walked away.__  
__If it's something that you want__  
__Darling you don't have to run__  
__You don't have to go___

_Just stay with me, baby stay with me__  
__Well I'm not sure what this is going to be__  
__But with my eyes closed all I see__  
__Is the sky line through the window__  
__The moon above you and the streets below__  
__Hold my breath as you're moving in__  
__Taste your lips and feel your skin__  
__When the time comes__  
__Baby don't run just kiss me slowly__  
_  
_I'm not sure where this is gonna to go__  
__But in this moment all I know__  
__Is the sky line through the window__  
__The moon above you and the streets below__  
__Hold my breath as you're moving in__  
__Taste your lips and feel your skin__  
__When the time comes baby__  
__Don't run just kiss me slowly_

My strumming hand falls from the strings as I finish the song, still keeping my eyes closed feeling of success runs over me. Music has always been my escape and nothing comes close to giving me the same feeling of…purpose and happiness as creating songs. My eyes fly open as I hear quiet clapping coming from in front of me. Spencer walks to me as I give a little sitting bow. "Are you stalking me now Ms. Carlin?" I ask as she takes a seat in front of me.

"What would you do if I was?" she asks with a playful smirk. "Just kidding, I was on my daily jog through the park when I spotted you sitting by my tree."

"Your tree?" I lean closer to her, trying to act tough "I don't see your name on it."  
Spencer giggles and brings her hand up to my face only to turn my head to the tree trunk. "Well fuck me. Excuse me while I eat my words" I say, which just sends Spencer into a laughing fit. About a third of the way up the trunk is the name "Spencer Carlin" carved around a heart.

"I did it when I was seven with a pocketknife I stole from my dad" she explains, "Glen saw me and ratted me out. I beat him up so bad he has never narced on me again."

I chuckle, imagining a furious seven year old Spencer punching a younger version of Glen. I run my fingers over the carving. "Pretty good for a seven year old. Ever considered a career in carpentry?" I joke as I turn back to her.

"Oh yeah, it's my number one choice after high school. You only have to go to trade school for like a year!" Spencer fakes excitement as she goes along with it. "My mom would just LOVE that, too," she says with a bit of venom in her voice. I give her a puzzled look and she continues, "she wants me to become a doctor like her. More specifically, a surgeon." Spencer sighs as she explains her mom's dream for her: go to Ohio State medical school, come back, get married, and raise a family while taking her mom's place at the local hospital.  
"And what do you want to do?" I ask. Spencer contemplates this for awhile.

"I don't know for sure yet, but I really love photography and films. I take all the yearbook photos and have even done a few weddings for some of my neighbors. I'm hoping to make a couple short films this year. I guess I just like trying to capture feelings through a lens. There's something magical about capturing a moment and being able to share it with other people. But it probably won't ever happen. I doubt my mom would support a career like that and I don't know how I'd pay for college."

I smile at her speech, thinking that's what I try to do with my music. I put my hand over hers and rub the back of it with my thumb. "If that's what you love, then go for it. You don't want to be stuck in a job you hate. If you're not doing what you're passionate about, you're going to be miserable. Screw other people and what they think. Do whatever you have to to follow your dreams."

Spencer sends me a thousand watt smile before she pulls me into a hug. "Thanks, Ash," she whispers into my ear, "I promise to do just that." My own smile grows bigger as I continue to hold her in my arms, not caring that I can feel her burrowing her way into my heart.

**Once again, sadly I don't own SON or its characters. Sorry it's been so long since the last update. I was swamped with finals and softball- my team went to Nationals so I've only been home for a week or so and I've been on the hunt for a job! With all that, I haven't had much time to sit down and write anything but this chapter kinda just came to me today and I had time to write it. Hopefully I'll be able to update again soon and hope you all like it! Let me know what you think.**

**Oh and the song used in this chapter is "Kiss Me Slowly" by Parachute (a fantasic band btw, I might be going to see them in concert next week!)**

**Spashley love! 3**


	5. Chapter 5

It's been almost two weeks since I got off that bus and found myself in the middle of nowhere. I moved out of the motel yesterday- Spencer's third cousin twice removed or something like that was looking for a tenant for the apartment above her garage. It's really nice and even has its own little kitchenette so I can make my own meals. Since Spencer is family, her cousin Alyssa gave me a really good deal on it, not that money is really an issue for me. It's so cool having my own place though. I can get to my room from the side garage door so I don't disturb Alyssa if I get in late. It's almost like living at home again…but I'm not going to think about that now. Spencer's on her way over and we're going to go shopping to decorate the apartment. We've hung out every day since I got here and I can't believe how close we already are. We can talk about everything and I find myself sharing things with her easier than I have with anyone else. There's just something about those baby blues…it's like when I'm staring into them I can't lie, can't hide what I'm thinking. It kind of scares me but at the same time I feel so relieved that I have someone I can open up to. I jump off the couch when I hear someone knocking. I open the door to see Spencer sporting a huge grin on her face. "Hey Ash," she says while walking past me, grabbing my purse, handing it to me, and pulling me out the door. I chuckle at her antics.

"Well hello to you too. Where's the fire?" I ask her with a smirk. She looks back at me and rolls her eyes. "No fire, I just had the perfect idea for how we can decorate your apartment and I wanted to get started right away. You're gonna LOVE it!"

"What is it?" I'm really curious now. If it's got Spencer all excited I want to know what it is.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you patience is a virtue, Miss Davies?" Spencer replies, her eyes twinkling mischievously. I give her my signature pout, but she shakes her head and laughs. "Not going to work this time." She goes to turn back around and finally notices she's still holding my hand. Pink tints her face as she mumbles out an apology before turning back around and continuing her fast-paced walking. I jog a bit to catch up with her, begging her to tell me what the secret is, but she won't budge. I sigh and give up, content with just following her. We walk into town and head to the main square where all the shops are. Spencer stops in front of a small door with a faded sign reading "Randy's Records" and turns to me, a huge grin on her face.

"Okay Cheshire Cat, why are we outside a records store? You need some new tunes or something?" She shakes her head before grabbing my hand again and pulling me into the store.

"Hey Spencer!" a guy shouts from the back of the store as we enter, "you here to look at that stuff you called about this morning?"

"Hey Randy," Spencer says as we walk down the aisle toward the man. "Yeah, we're going to check those out and look around a bit, too. This is my friend Ashley I was telling you about." I smile at the guy and give him a once over. He seems pretty cool, for an older dude. He has long white hair pulled back in a ponytail and an earring in his right ear, which along with the black leather vest he's wearing, makes me think he was a bit of a rebel in his time.

"Rad, I'll go get that stuff for you. Nice to meet you Ashley," he calls as he heads into a room in the back.

I turn the Spencer and ask if she's finally going to let me in on the surprise.  
"Okay, you don't have to do it, but I thought since you're into music it would be really cool to have old vinyl records on the walls of the apartment. We could even paint lyrics from your favorite songs around them or something. I already asked Alyssa and she said it's fine as long as it was light paint that could be painted over." Spencer says in a rush, clearly nervous I won't like her idea. I send her a smile and tell her I love the idea. She sighs and points behind me to the racks of vinyls, telling me to pick some out. I take my time, looking for my favorite bands and finding a few special albums, ones me and my dad used to listen to when he came home. We would sit in my room all day, listening to everything from The Rolling Stones or Queen to the Beatles or Poison. I zone out and Spencer shakes me out of my memory, asking me if I found anything good. I show her the ones I've picked out and she nods before grabbing them and heading toward the counter. On the way there, she picks up a few posters of some of the same bands I picked out. She puts everything in front of the register and tells Randy to ring it up. "Hey! You are NOT paying for those," I half yell at her as I march up to the counter. Spencer sends me a glare before telling me it's her house warming gift to me. She asks Randy if he could add the other ones to what she brought up and he tells her they're already in the bag. I open my mouth to ask what she's talking about but she stops me with another look. Guess I'll find out later. Spencer pays for the vinyls and we're heading toward the door when Randy calls us back.

"I found this in the back of the store. You were asking if I had any instruments for sale and I completely forgot about this. I bought it for my granddaughter last year but she got into sports and all that." He explains as he carries up a long rectangular box. "Just hand it to Ashley. It's for her anyway." Spencer says, her hands already full from the bags of vinyls. My eyebrows shoot up, wondering what it is. As Randy hands me the box, I see a picture of a keyboard on the side. I gasp and tell Randy I can't just take it, but he insists, saying it's just collecting dust in his office.

"But if you end up writing a hit song on it, I better get a cut of the profit," he finishes with a wink.

"Deal!" I yell back as we walk out the door. The walk back to the apartment is somewhat quiet. I can't believe the generosity of the people in this town. I guess growing up in L.A. kind of makes you jaded. Most of the people there are only looking out for number one. It's refreshing to be around people who aren't worried what they look like or who they're with, but are more focused on others. Like Spencer. I swear this girl is an angel or something. She volunteers every weekend at the nursing home, helps out at the daycare center with special needs kids, and helps out with church projects. If I hadn't seen her blow up at Madison, I would say she doesn't have any faults. Spencer notices how red my face has gotten and my labored breathing and asks if I want her to carry the box for a bit, but of course my pride won't allow it and I tell her I'm fine. We make it back to the apartment and I lug the keyboard up the stairs, waiting at the door for Spencer to unlock it. I gently place the box on the floor in front of the couch before flopping down on it, groaning as I fall face first into the cushions. Spencer giggles before asking if I'm considering entering into an iron woman competition. I flip my middle finger in the air, too lazy to lift my head to see where she's at. I hear her tut-tutting in disapproval before walking over to the couch and jumping onto my back. "Time to get you into shape," she laughs out as I groan at the added wait. "Give me twenty push-ups!" Instead, I try to flip over so I can face her, but this only succeeds in Spencer ending up on the floor. Laughing, I lean over the edge of the couch to check on her, only to have my arm grabbed, pulling me to the floor. I catch myself before all my weight falls on her and she giggles again.

"Oh you think that's funny, do you?" I say before wiggling my fingers on her side. I'm rewarded with a squeal. I continue to tickle her until she's begging for mercy, breathless and with tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. "So Spencer Carlin does have a weakness then." I say as I bring my hands up to rest near her head. "I didn't think one existed," I almost whisper as I look down into her blue eyes. I can't read her face right now, but there's something in her expression I can't quite place. I just know I've never seen it in her eyes before. She hesitantly raises her hand before tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. My eyes close at the movement, relishing in the feelings of comfort and safety the simple action brings.  
"There are a few things about me you don't know," Spencer whispers into my ear before sliding under me and standing up, "now move that pretty little ass of yours. We've got some decorating to do!" I laugh as I straighten up and follow her to the table where she dropped the vinyls. I start pulling them out, holding them up to the walls and trying to decide what order I want to put them in. I decide to go chronologically, kind of have a timeline of my favorite music along the wall. When I share this idea with Spencer, she really likes it and starts helping me put the albums in order on the living room floor. I love that she knows as much about music as I do. I drag the second bag closer to me and pull it open, doing a double take when I notice the band name across the front of the first record I grab. I put it down and reach in the bag, confused to find another album from the same band. I pull out four more records, all by Purple Venom, and turn to Spencer.

"Where'd these come from?" I spit out, sounding much harsher than I mean to. Spencer flinches a bit at my tone, but tells me she had Randy put all the records he had for Purple Venom aside yesterday when she thought of the idea.

"I thought it might be nice if you had some of your dad's records, you know kind of in memory of him."

"What…When….How did you know?" I stutter, shocked that Spencer discovered who I was.  
"Well, when you told me your last name was Davies and you had come from L.A. I kind of had suspicions. I mean, it's not that common of a name. I knew Raife had a daughter around my age and you look a lot like your dad. But it wasn't until I heard you sing and play guitar that I knew. That kind of talent doesn't come from practice; it's natural. You never talk about your dad either, so I put it all together." Spencer explains.

"Did you ever stop and wonder why I never talk about him? That maybe I don't want to have constant reminders of him around? Who do you think you are? God, you don't even know me!" I shout as I toss the records on the floor. Spencer sits on the floor, stunned by my outburst.

"I'm sorry, I just thought it would be a nice idea. I'll take them back," she says as she reaches for the vinyls, her eyes filling with tears. She stands up and starts heading for the door.

I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. "Spencer, wait. Please don't go. I'm sorry. I just…my dad and I didn't have the greatest relationship," I say as I sit down on the couch with my head between my hands. I don't hear anything for a few seconds and I'm worried she left, but then I feel someone sit beside me. I take a few breaths before lifting my head and glancing at her. She's watching me, waiting for me to continue. I look down at the floor and begin talking again. "At first, he was the greatest dad. He took a break from the band when I was born, but then when he went back he and my mom started fighting a lot. They got officially divorced when I was eight, but they hadn't really been together since way before that. He was always on the road with his band, touring or promoting their new album. After the divorce, he was hardly ever home. I think I saw him a 100 times since then. But whenever I did see him, it was great. We'd sit in my room listening to music and talking all day. He made me feel so special when I was with him, but when he left I felt like it was because of me, that I wasn't good enough for him to stay behind. When he died, I was so mad. Mad that he never seemed to have the time for me, mad that he was such a lousy father, mad that I never told him how much he hurt me so he could try to make it better," I furiously wipe tears away, not fully realizing how hard I'm crying. Spencer wraps an arm around me as I start to sob. I turn into her, burrowing my face into her shoulder and holding onto her tightly. "Sometimes, I hate him," I whisper as I start calming down, "but mostly, I just miss him. I just want my dad back." Spencer continues holding me, rocking me back and forth as her own tears fall into my hair. I don't know how long we stay like that, but as we're sitting there I know one thing for sure- Spencer has broken down my walls. I just hope she can pick up the pieces and help build me back together.

**Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't get an update up this weekend. I was hanging with the fam and had to work and such so I didn't have as much free time as I thought I would. Anyway, I just wrote this chapter tonight. Hope you enjoy! I'm hoping I can get another chapter written by next week but I'll have to see how this week goes. Reviews are appreciated! I really like to hear your input on the story. Although I mainly write for myself, it's definitely easier to get motivated to write when I know you lovely readers are enjoying it :)**

**Oh and of course, I unfortunately don't own South of Nowhere. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I am so so so sorry for the lack of updates. I've been having a crazy summer with work and getting ready to go overseas (I'm studying abroad this semester) and I had a bad case of writer's block so this story's kind of just been sitting in the back of my mind. If you've been waiting for an update thank you so so much for sticking with me! I'm hoping to get some more done this week but I don't want to make any promises. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter…kind of just a lead in for the next one but don't worry that one will be full of drama cause we all know Madison brings that with her everywhere :) Feel free to review and let me know where you'd like to see the story going. Much love!**

**Oh and I still don't own South of Nowhere….if I did it'd be on t.v. again lol**

I groan as my phone continues beeping from its spot on my bedside table. I roll over and get tangled in the covers I was just hibernating under. My eyes squint as I check the time- _8 freaking a.m.! Whoever this is better have a damn good reason for waking me up this early..._

I flip my phone open, grumbling at myself for forgetting to turn my phone on silent last night. I find a text from Spencer asking if I'm up yet. This girl is going to kill me. I throw the phone back on the table, deciding I need some coffee before I attempt to talk to anyone. As I try to untangle myself from the bed covers, I somehow end up falling face first on the floor. I silently thank God there's no one there to witness my clumsiness and am contemplating crawling back in bed since the morning isn't off to a good start when my phone beeps again. I push myself off the ground and grab my phone as I head to the kitchenette, turning on the coffee pot as I head to the fridge. As I wait for my coffee to brew, I check my phone and see another text from Spencer telling me if I'm not up she's going to keep texting until I respond. I send a quick reply saying I'm waiting for my coffee and thankfully she knows not to answer back just yet. I honestly can't function without my caffeine in the morning, something Spencer has learned over the last few weeks. Once I've had my first cup, I press my first speed dial and listen to Spencer's new playback tone _cause I will take it on the chin for you, so lay your cuts and bruises over my skin, I promise you won't feel a thing…_ "Good morning sleepy head!" Spencer sings into the phone.

"Cause everything the world could throw, I'll stand in front, I'll take the blow for you" I sing back, "really, Spencer, you're going to have to try a lot harder than that to catch me off my game. You know I love The Script." I say smirking as I lean against my countertop.  
Spencer giggles before responding, "maybe I just like hearing you sing every morning. If I gave you a song you didn't know I wouldn't be able to hear that beautiful voice now would I?"

"I can't argue with that logic! Who am I to deny you from hearing such talent?" I joke as I move to my room to get changed.  
Spencer snorts into the phone, "remind me to add humble to the list of admirable qualities you possess…"

I push hangers aside in my closet, trying to find something to wear. I grab one of my midriff cut band tees and throw it on the bed. "Must be a long list you've got there. Don't forget to add hot, sexy and gorgeous to it" I answer as I pull off my pajamas- a wife beater and boxers- and walk to the dresser to grab a pair of shorts.

"Oh, I think you might be talking about your list for me," Spencer teases back. I laugh before putting on my clothes.

"So what's with the early wakeup call? You just get your kicks out of torturing me?" I ask as I head back to the kitchen and put my coffee mug in the sink.

"Why don't you open your door and find out?" Spencer counters back before hanging up the phone. I roll my eyes and head to the door to let her in. Spencer literally bounces into the apartment, and I resist the urge to push her out the door. This girl has way too much energy in the morning.

"You're lucky I find you adorable and put up with your annoying cheerfulness in the morning," I grumble as I follow her to the small living room.

"It's the last day of summer; I was not about to let you waste it away sleeping!" Spencer informs me as sits on the couch. I sit beside her and reach for the TV remote but she playfully slaps my hand away. "Uh uh. We've got to plan the whole day! I was thinking we could go to Bert's diner for breakfast and then hang out at the park for a bit since it's such a nice day, maybe go to Randy's and see if he has some new records. I don't know what else you want to do so you get to pick the activities for this afternoon."

I think it over for a bit before telling Spencer I want to go swimming. I really don't want to, but who knows when I'll get to see Spencer in a bikini again with school going on. I've gotten pretty fond of that sight over the summer. Spencer starts rambling about whether we should go to Aiden's and swim or drive out to the rope swing at the nearby river. I don't realize I've zoned out and am staring at her until I see her wand wave in front of my face. I shake my head as a blush creeps up my neck "Uh, sorry I'm still half asleep…and hungry," I say sheepishly. Spencer laughs at me before grabbing my hand and pulling me off the couch.

"Let's go get you some food, you big baby." I can't help but grin as I follow her out the door.

After a huge breakfast at Bert's and a walk around the park, we decided to head to Aiden's so we could work on our tans before we'll be confined indoors all day at that prison they call school. Me and Spencer are currently laying on the lounge chairs, watching Aiden and Glen try to dunk each other in the pool. Aiden finally gets the upper hand and holds Glen under, but then winds up underwater when Glen grabs his legs. Spencer and I roll our eyes and murmur "boys" at the same time, causing us to giggle. The guys get out of the water and ask what we're laughing at which just makes us start laughing again. When Kyla comes out of the house with drinks, we have tears streaming down our faces and Aiden and Glen are glancing at each other, both sporting confused faces. Kyla just shakes her head at us before handing the guys their waters. The rest of the afternoon passes quickly, filled with jokes and laughter. It's amazing how easily I've fit into their group in such a short time. I never really had many friends in L.A. Most of the people there just wanted to hang around me because of my dad's fame and money, not because they actually liked me. I know Spencer hasn't told the rest who my dad is- not that they'd really know since none of them are music fanatics like her- but it's nice to know they like me for me.

While we're eating our dinner, Aiden gets a text and starts fist pumping and yelling like a lunatic. I look at Spencer and cock my eyebrow but she just shrugs and turns to see what has the boy wonder so excited.

"Madison's having an end of the summer party tonight. Her parents are out of town for the weekend. Man, this is gonna be so sick! I gotta go figure out what to wear. I could go with that black button up with jeans…or my camouflage blazer…."

I look at Spencer and start giggling, "He's such a girl. You sure he isn't gay?," I whisper to her, which makes her crack up. Kyla looks over at us and rolls her eyes before asking Spencer if she is going to go. Spencer stares are her for a second before shaking her head firmly.

"Ah, c'mon Spence! You know Madison's house is a mansion, you probably won't even see her at the party. The whole school is going to be there!" Glen whines.

"You just want me to go because you know mom and dad won't let YOU go unless I do," Spencer says as she folds her arms. Glen drops to his knees in front of her chair and gives her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Pleaseeeeeee Spencie? For your big bro? Don't you love me?" Spencer tries keeping her face neutral but her lips twitch and she sighs before giving in shortly after.

"Weak," Kyla coughs and I start laughing at her until Spencer glares at me. My laughter dies in my throat…damn Spencer is hot when she's mad. Kyla saves me from Spencer's wrath by asking if I want to go to the party.

"No way. Last time I went to a high school party, I ended up getting in a fist fight with a 220 pound linebacker on my school's football team. I mean, I kicked his ass so that was fine but everyone hated me for a while cause he missed the game that Friday and we lost." They all look at me, mouths hanging open, before cracking up. Glen is rolling on the floor, looking like he's about to pee his pants.

"You…you beat up…a football player! Haha you? That's hilarious!" he pants out as he tries to catch his breath. I'm by his side in a second and waste no time in pulling him off the floor and pushing him against the nearest wall. I send him my best scowl, growling a bit for dramatic effect. "And what's so hilarious about that? Hmm? You think just because I'm a girl I can't handle myself?" Glen's face has gone white and his eyes are wide as he frantically shakes his head back and forth. "Good, now be a doll and go get me a water," I say sweetly as I let go of his collar and pat his face gently, a smile on my face again.

"Women are scary," he mutters on his way to the kitchen. I sit back down and send everyone an innocent smile, "So what time does the party start?"


	7. Chapter 7

First, I am so sorry for abandoning this story. I honestly don't have any great excuses other than that I started this story as for myself and I started to feel like I wasn't enjoying writing it anymore, so I just stopped. But last night I just had a ton of Spashley feels and felt like writing again. I can't promise I'll write more so I apologize in advance if I don't post another chapter for a while (or at all). I have some ideas where I want the story to go but if I feel like it's becoming more of a burden than a release, I'll stop writing again. I know that sounds horrible but I know if I write just for the sake of finishing the story, I won't be pleased with the product and you probably won't either.

Anyway, here's the next chapter! I haven't proof-read it in great detail because I'm lazy and I just finished it and wanted to get it out there, so if you notice some really glaring mistakes that are extremely annoying or something, let me know and I'll fix it! The next one will pick up at Ashley's first day at King High…where you know there's bound to be drama what with her dissing Madison and all. Hope you enjoy it! :)

Spencer and Glen are supposed to pick me up in 15 minutes and I'm still standing in my closet with my towel around me. I've never had a problem picking out a party outfit before, but then again whenever I used to go to parties I was just looking for a good lay. This time that's not really what I want. So that removes most of my party clothes. I don't want to look too slutty and spend the whole night warding off guys (and girls), but at the same time I want to show off my body for Spencer. God, this is ridiculous. Since when do I care so much about what one girl thinks of me? I pull a sparkly black halter top off its hanger and throw it on my bed before grabbing some white jeans shorts to go with it. I throw on the clothes before applying some makeup and putting on the black leather bracelet my dad bought me for my 13th birthday. I haven't worn it in a while, but after my talk with Spencer I guess I was feeling sentimental. As I'm slipping on my flats, there's a knock on my door.

"Perfect timing, I just finished getting ready," I say as I swing the door open for Spencer. It takes all my effort not to let my jaw drop at the sight. "Damn, Spence, you clean up really well." I tease. She gives me a shy smile and looks down before meeting my eyes again and whispering "Really?"

I can't believe this girl doesn't realize how beautiful she is. I'm considering making it my life mission to help her see this, but I think telling her everyday she's stunning might be blurring the lines of friendship a bit, even for a flirt like me. So I'll take this chance while I can. I take in her outfit again, enjoying the way the jeans hug her hips, how the blue top she wore brings out her eyes that much more.

"Really. You look gorgeous….as always," I add as her smile grows wider. I hear Glen honk the horn and turn to grab my keys before grabbing Spencer's hand and pulling her to the stairs. "Now c'mon, let's go get our party on!" She giggles at my antics before stopping me as we reach the car.

"You look beautiful, too," she whispers into my ear before opening the front door and sliding into her seat. As I get into the car, I can't help but think this night is off to a great start.

We make small talk with Glen on the way to Madison's, the two of them telling me more about King High and what I can expect on the first day of school. As we pull into Madison's neighborhood, I notice Spencer getting quieter. I can tell by the way she's sitting a little straighter that she's tense. Glen finds a place to park a few houses down and we all get out of the car. He immediately lets out a yell and sprints to the house. Spencer hesitates before she starts to follow. I grab her arm to stop her and turn her so she's facing me. "We don't have to go, you know. I'm fine with just going back to my place and watching a movie or something." She sighs and shakes her head.

"No, it's fine. I want to hang with our friends. I just don't want Madison ruining our night is all." "Well, I'm kind of highly skilled at avoiding people I don't want to see. And even if we do run into her, I'm pretty sure we're both smarter than her. So any insults she tries to throw at you we can throw two back that are much better." She laughs and agrees with me.

"But seriously, I promise I'll make sure you have fun tonight. And if you feel like leaving, you just let me know and we'll go," I tell her as I squeeze her arm. She nods before grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the house.

We walk through the front door and are immediately hit with the stench of alcohol and sweat. Spencer pulls me through the giant ass living room where all furniture has been pushed aside to make a dance floor and into a kitchen, where there's a shit ton of alcohol sitting on the counter.

"Spencerrrrrr! Ashleyyy! You made it," is yelled as we walk in. I chuckle at as an obviously intoxicated Kyla hugs us. "What do you want to drink?" she slurs as she releases us, reaching for some cups that are sitting by the liquor.

"Uh, don't worry about it Kyla, I'll make our drinks," Spencer offers as Kyla narrowly avoids knocking over a bottle of vodka. Kyla pouts before Spencer suggests she finds Glen to dance and bounces out of the room. We both start cracking up as soon as she leaves.

"Drunk Kyla is hilarious," I laugh as I lean against the counter.

"Haha, yeah the best part is she's probably only had two drinks. She's pretty much the definition of a lightweight," Spencer replies as she pulls out two cups for us. "So, what'll it be Miss?"

"Hmm, how about a rum and coke? And don't go easy on the rum, barkeep." I reply with a wink.

Spencer giggles while she makes my drink, before making herself a vodka and cranberry.

We head back to the living room and entertain ourselves by making fun of the drunk high schoolers on the dance floor. Once we've finished our drinks, Spencer asks if I want to get another one. I nod and we head back to the kitchen, where we run into Aiden, Glen, and Kyla.

"I told you they came!" Kyle glares at Aiden, "he didn't think you'd actually show up, Spencer." Aiden laughs before putting his arms around us both. "Well, this is one time I'm glad I'm wrong. Let's get you fine ladies some drinks."

A drink and two shots later and I am definitely starting to feel the alcohol. The group decided to head in to dance after hanging outside for a bit. We walk back inside and make our way onto the dance floor. Glen and Kyla immediately start to dance together, while Aiden grabs some random girl from the crowd. Which just leaves Spencer and me. We look at each other and I quirk my eyebrow, not sure if she wants to dance together or try to find a partner. She makes the first move, bumping her hip against mine to get me to start dancing. I break into a grin, glad she didn't want to dance with someone else. It starts off innocently enough, just two friends dancing together. But the more I watch her move to the beat, the more I want to feel her body pressed against mine. I inch a bit closer to her, my hand hovering for a moment before I place it on her hip. I look at her face to try to gauge her reaction, but she just smiles a bit and steps closer to me. We're still a decent distance from each other until some jerk shoves Spencer and she stumbles into me. I catch her and pull her up before turning to the guy and calling him an asshole, but he's too out of it to notice or care. Spencer just laughs at me and starts dancing again, a lot closer now as some of our dance space has been taken by some couple. Not that I mind one bit. We keep dancing face to face until some Cobra Starship song comes on which makes Spencer squeal about how much she loves it. I laugh at her cuteness and tell her I'm not sure I trust her taste in music anymore. She pouts at me and I just continue laughing until she steps closer and starts singing the song into my ear. My laughter dies in my throat at how hot this is. Spencer stops singing after the first verse and looks at me with her eyebrow cocked in a challenge. I laugh before deciding two can play this game. I turn her around as I sing the bridge, smirking as I feel her breath hitch. I wrap my arm around her waist and Spencer responds by pushing herself into me more. Our bodies move together to the beat and I grip her hips with both hands to bring her closer, leaving no room between us. Spencer grabs my hands and pulls my arms around her, resting hers on top of mine. Both of us are lost in the music and enjoying this feeling.

We keep dancing like this for a few more songs before Spencer asks if I want to go outside. I nod, needing a break from the dancing- I'm hot and more than a little sweaty. We stop by the kitchen and grab some water before walking out the sliding door. It's mostly empty out here now, as everyone is either inside dancing or already gone home. Spencer leads me past the pool to a swing set where she stops and sits down. I take the swing next to her and we sit in silence, just enjoying each other's presence.

"Hey Ash?" Spencer asks quietly.

"Hey Spence?" I tease her, winking as I gesture her to continue her question.

"Why don't you ever talk about your mom?"

I knew this would come up ever since we talked about my dad, but didn't really expect it to be now. I'd told Spencer that I left home because I needed a change, that I was traveling this summer to find myself and that I was an emancipated minor so I could do as I pleased, but didn't explain why I had left home. Or how my mom felt about it. Maybe the alcohol made Spencer brave enough to finally ask. "Because there's really nothing to tell. She's a bitch." Spencer doesn't respond, but I can tell she wants me to explain more. I sigh before continuing, "She was gone just as much as my dad. Always off to Paris for fashion week with her friends or on a romantic getaway in Italy with her new man. I think my dad was in the country more than her while I was growing up. We'd have brunch once a month, she'd give me enough money to last me the next few weeks, and then I wouldn't see her again until the next month. At least she's good for the money. She probably hasn't even noticed I'm gone yet." I laugh humorlessly.

Spencer winces, "I'm so sorry, Ash. That sucks. I don't know what's worse, having a mom who ignores you or having one like my mom who stalks your every move."

"At least your mom cares. I mean, I got used to it but sometimes I wonder if my mom regrets having me. I used to wish she hadn't…"I scoff my foot in the ground, not really wanting to talk about this anymore. Spencer grabs my hand and after a moment she intertwines our fingers, swinging them between us lightly. I'm shocked by how much better this makes me feel. I've never really had anyone comfort me before. It's a nice feeling.  
"So are you excited to start at King on Monday?" I smile at her, relieved that she didn't push me to talk more. We talk about lighter topics for a bit until we hear Glen yelling for us.

"Yo! Spencer, Ashley, are you guys ready to go?" Spencer pulls me out of the swing and we head to the door, still holding hands. Kyla is waiting with Glen at the door and she smirks at Spencer when she notices our interlocked hands. Spencer blushes and releases from my hand, mumbling an apology. I give her a smile and a wink to let her know it's okay, which only makes her blush more.

As we head through the house, I think about how amazing this night has been. Of course, I should have known it couldn't have lasted. Just as we're about to reach the door, I see Madison heading our way. "Bitch incoming," I warn the group before she steps in front of us.

"Glad to see you made it," she says with a sweet smile before turning to Spencer and frowning, "well, glad _some_of you made it. I don't really like having quitters at my house. Gives it a bad vibe." She turns to be with her smile back in place. "Ashley, have you thought anymore about joining cheerleading? We seriously could use a hot chica like you on the squad, girl." I can see Spencer's fists clenching out the corner of my eye and I place my hand on her arm to calm her down.

"Actually, I have. And I decided there isn't enough money in the world to convince me to join your squad. I could tell by the way you treat Spencer that I wasn't going to like you. I've had enough bitches in my life already; I don't need to add another one to the list. Especially one that has such poor taste in insults…and fashion." I reply as I gave her outfit a once over. Kyla lets snorts at my reply while Aiden holds out his hand for me to high five. I knew I liked this group for a reason. Madison shoots me a glare and heads back to the living room, pushing several people out of her way as she goes. Glen looks at me like I'm his new hero or something and tells me that was awesome. I just smirk and slap Aiden's hand as the group starts to head out the door. I go to follow but am stopped by Spencer, who pulls be into a hug. I wrap my arms around her waist, relishing being close to her again. We stay there for a second before Glen calls for us to hurry up.

"Thank you," is all the blonde whispers as she pulls away and kisses my check lightly.

But it's more than enough to warm my heart.


End file.
